| Calf | n.; pl. Calves [ OE. calf, kelf, AS. cealf; akin to D. kalf, G. kalb, Icel. kālfr, Sw. kalf, Dan. kalv, Goth. kalbō; cf. Skr. garbha fetus, young, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;, Skr grabh to seize, conceive, Ir. colpa, colpach, a calf. √222. ] 1. The young of the cow, or of the Bovine family of quadrupeds. Also, the young of some other mammals, as of the elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and whale. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-colored leather used in bookbinding; as, to bind books in calf. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Some silly, doting, brainless calf. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. A small island near a larger; as, the Calf of Man. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. A small mass of ice set free from the submerged part of a glacier or berg, and rising to the surface. Kane. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. [ Cf. Icel. kālfi. ] The fleshy hinder part of the leg below the knee. [ 1913 Webster ]
Calf's-foot jelly, jelly made from the feet of calves. The gelatinous matter of the feet is extracted by boiling, and is flavored with sugar, essences, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]
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